SANTANDER, Spain (Reuters) - Spain’s Economy Minister Luis de Guindos said on Tuesday that some of the country’s nationalised lenders, taken over in the wake of a property crash, were beginning to attract interest from potential buyers.

Along with the country’s biggest state-owned bank, Bankia (BKIA.MC), Spain’s government fully owns Catalunya Banc and NCG Banco, which it could try to sell this year, financial sources have said.

De Guindos, speaking at a conference in northern Spain, said there were signs of interest in the two banks, and that the government would study offers.

Previous attempts at auctioning Catalunya Banc have failed as bidders requested more state aid for the lender.